doing it yourself

Solar energy systems are not beyond the skills of many do-it-yourselfers.  However, the set of skills you need to be successful are quite different depending upon whether or not you are trying to implement a solar photovoltaic (PV) solution or a solar thermal solution.  Solar PV projects require fairly minimal mechanical skill, a good bit of electrical understanding and a willingness to climb up on your roof.  On the other hand solar thermal projects require plumbing and construction skills and less electronics experience.

Solar PV Projects

Overall, we have found that it is often difficult for homeowners to pull off PV projects entirely by themselves.  It is not that solar PV projects are all that much harder to do than thermal solar projects but in many states and counties there are regulatory restrictions that hinder doing the entire PV project yourself. Many counties and municipalities require that any electrical work on a home be done by a certified electrician licensed through the state or the county, sometimes both. What is even more important is that failure to use certified PV installers or electricians can often prevent you from qualifying for state tax incentives and rebates for solar PV.  Since solar PV has a very significant up-front cost this can often be enough to break the business case for doing the project in the first place. In addition, electric utility operators in some states require that either they or a certified electrician do the hookup to your electric meter.

Another thing to consider is that, depending upon the scope of what you are trying to do, a PV object can sometimes require a fairly deep understand of both DC and AC electrical systems.  Sometimes local electrical contractors have to get support from other contractors who specialize in solar before installing a system. Solar contractors have often been specifically trained by the manufacturer in the installation of particular brands of solar panels or inverter systems which gives them a unique advantage.

If you want to try and tackle a PV project yourself it is important to begin by checking with whoever provides building permits in your municipality or county. In some municipalities the whole project must be done by a certified electrician but in other counties only the final hookup between the home electrical panel and the electric meter must be done by an electrician (or someone from the utility company).  If the latter is the case then one approach is to put up the solar panels on the roof yourself and then just use an electrician for the final hookup. If you are feeling a bit unsure of yourself one option you might wish to consider is taking a course from a solar panel manufacturer or distributor.  Many solar panel distributors provide free or low cost training on how to install their panels. 

Solar Thermal Projects

We have found that solar thermal projects are often an excellent place for do-it-yourselfers to start.  Solar thermal projects will probably also require permits depending upon where you live, but having talked to many DIY'rs, our sense is that most find the regulatory hurdle to be far less than for PV.  Another reason for looking into solar thermal as a starting point for DIY projects is that these projects tend to have much less up front costs and much quicker pay back periods.  Many solar thermal projects can be done for a few thousand dollars and can address both solar water heating and solar space heating.

If you are interested in a solar thermal DIY project then a site you should definitely check out is BuildItSolar.com. This site provides extensive background on solar thermal technology along with sample project plans and review of lots of solar thermal projects.

Solar Kits

One option you may want to consider if you are planning on doing it yourself is to purchase one of the many pre-packaged solar kits now available,  There are kits available for both solar PV and solar thermal projects and include all of the components of a complete system.  These systems take away much of the guesswork of mixing and matching components and ensure that the components you pick will go together effectively.

There are a lot of great resources and war stories available written by homeowners who have installed their own systems which can be invaluable in helping you avoid pitfalls in doing it yourself.  Look in the EB Resources sections for books and magazines which provide just this type of information.